Bridesmaids Gifts: Buy from Ten Thousand Villages!

Mother of the Bride, is your daughter looking for a dynamite gift idea for her bridesmaids? Why not suggest gifts from Ten Thousand Villages? In case you’re not familiar with them, Ten Thousand Villages is a fair trade retailer who has been empowering and supporting fairly paid artisans in developing countries for more than seventy years.

Purchasing  bridesmaids gifts from Ten Thousand Villages will allow your sweet girl to be a double blessing—blessing her lovely bridesmaids with terrific gifts plus supporting hard-working, fairly paid artisans around the world.  Can’t beat that, huh?

Among the items that Ten Thousand Villages carry are jewelry, scarves, hats, purses, and other bags—all excellent ideas for bridesmaids gifts. If there is not a store in your daughter’s area, assure her that she can shop for these gifts online. On their website , the pictures of the individual items are large, and she will have no trouble selecting some beautiful gifts directly from the site.

And MOB, as you browse the site, I bet you will find something you’d like to have, too. Go ahead—be a double blessing!

*You might also like to read Polka Dot Nails for the Bridesmaids! and A Prayer for the Bridesmaids’ Luncheon.

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride and my Wedding Inspiration cards, check out my Books/My Work page.

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, will come out in early May. Sign-up is FREE! *Temporary problem with Life Notes sign-up. To sign up, just contact me.

*Flickr photo by Thien VCreative Commons License

Guest Lucille Williams: New Book with Important Lesson for Kids—and Adults Too!

When I was in elementary school I can remember feeling extreme panic when the teacher asked the class to read out loud. We would start at one end of the classroom and one by one we’d be asked to read. As the kids each read their portion and it got closer to me, panic would set in. I had trouble reading as a kid and I’d stop at “small” words when I saw “big” words coming up so the kids didn’t know I didn’t know the “big” word, and during the pause try and sound out the “big” word in my head. All this to avoid being laughed at or seen as stupid. It usually didn’t work and the kids would often laugh at me when I didn’t know various words. It was quite shaming as a kid and I had such anxiety and fear surrounding reading. And school in general.

I always felt different than other kids. 

School overall was very difficult for me. As an adult I discovered I had ADHD. No wonder I had so much trouble with reading and schoolwork and paying attention in class. I suffered greatly as a kid feeling like I didn’t measure up to the other kids. Getting help from others and feeling like I lacked the skills other kids had plagued me throughout my childhood.

I felt like I wasn’t good enough and longed to be like the other kids. 

It wasn’t until I became an adult that I realized I had great gifting too. I even became a writer–which I never thought was possible. I wish someone had taught me to focus on my strengths instead of my weaknesses.

Children can learn this early: We all do not have the same gifting, and we all are special in our own way.

“For You created my innermost parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, because I am awesomely and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.” Psalm 139:13-14 NASB

As a grandma I’ve watched my sweet grandkids struggle with not being able to master things fast and comparing themselves to others. Instead of comparing our weaknesses to other people’s strengths, we can focus on celebrating our differences and embracing our God-given talents.

This is what Turtle Finds His Talent: Discovering How God Made You Special is all about: Teaching children to focus on their own abilities and specialness and God-given talents. This is a good lesson for us adults too. I have learned to adjust to functioning with ADHD and have learned to thrive in it. There are good aspects to every challenge.

God made each child special and unique. Cheering for and affirming differences fosters confidence and self-esteem. Talking about feelings like joy and sadness helps a child navigate and process emotions. When we read to our kids and then talk about the story we do just that.

“My frame was not hidden from You When I was made in secret, And skillfully formed in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my formless substance; And in Your book were written All the days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them.” Psalm 139:15-16 NASB*Do you know some children who could benefit from the message of Turtle Finds His Talent? Why not gift them with a copy! 

Lucille Williams is an author, speaker, pastor’s wife, and has ministered to couples and families for over 25 years. As the Women’s Director at Palmcroft Church in Phoenix, AZ she dedicates her time to ministry and writing and providing resources on her blog at LuSays.com. She’s the author of From Me to We: A Premarital Guide for the Bride- and Groom-to-Be, The Intimacy You Crave: Straight Talk About Sex and Pancakes, The Impossible Kid: Parenting a Strong-Willed Child with Love and Grace, and Turtle Finds His Talent: A Slide-and-Find Book: Discovering How God Made You Special.   

*The current issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, came out earlier this month. It’s not too late to receive it. Sign-up is FREE. *Temporary problem with Life Notes sign-up. To sign up, just contact me.

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride and also my Wedding Inspiration cards, check out my Books/My Work page.

*Book photos compliments of Zonderkidz

Fresh from God

17276672462_7b04d5b6fc_zSpring almost always motivates me to pen a new poem. Hope you’re blessed today with my latest!

Fresh from God

Spring bursts with life
fresh from God
tiptoeing in as winter retreats,
surprising with love gifts
wrapped in newness,
delighting our winter-worn hearts.
Spring’s colors splash,
look new, feel fresh,
her songs capture our attention
with the calls and melodies of birds
back from their southern sabbatical.
Ah, spring—so fresh from God.

More fresh-from-God gifts spring to mind
more love gifts wrapped in newness,
romance blooms, life partners given,
babies are born, tiny kisses from heaven,
two become three—or four or more—
new day, new year,
new strength, new plans,
new mercies every morning.
New life in Christ
new home in heaven,
the gifts of God, fresh from him,
ever fresh with life.
Ah life—so fresh from God.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17 NIV

*What fresh-from-God gift are you rejoicing in today?

The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, comes out in early May. One lucky subscriber (new or current) will receive a gift valued at $20 (shipping included) from Beigetone Soaps and a signed copy of my book to use personally, give as a gift, or donate to a library. Sign-up is free and to the right!

*Flickr photo by SteveRish, Creative Commons License

Ten Thousand Villages Gifts for the Bridesmaids

6220169247_b5597043c0_zMother of the Bride, is your daughter looking for a dynamite gift idea for her bridesmaids? Why not suggest gifts from Ten Thousand Villages? In case you’re not familiar with them, Ten Thousand Villages is a fair trade retailer who has been empowering and supporting fairly paid artisans in developing countries for almost seventy years.

A few weeks ago, I suggested that your daughter might like to create a Ten Thousand Villages Gift Registry and allow the wedding guests to be a double blessing—blessing the happy couple with a terrific gift plus supporting hard-working, fairly paid artisans around the world. Purchasing her bridesmaids gifts from Ten Thousand Villages will allow your sweet girl to be a double blessing as well. Can’t beat that, huh?

Among the items that Ten Thousand Villages carry are jewelry, scarves, hats, purses, and other bags—all excellent ideas for bridesmaids gifts. If there is not a store in your daughter’s area, assure her that she can shop for these gifts online. On their website , the pictures of the individual items are large, and she will have no trouble selecting some beautiful gifts directly from the site.

And MOB, as you browse the site, I bet you will find something you’d like to have, too. Go ahead—be a double blessing!

*You might also like to read A Fair Trade Wedding Registry: Ten Thousand Villages and Polka Dot Nails for the Bridesmaids!

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, comes out in early August. Sign up is free and to the right!

*Flickr photo by Thien V, Creative Commons License